My Favorite Chilean City: Puerto, Varas

I found a favorite. Puerto Varas is charming, filled with people my age but also rich in history and culture. 

Puerto Varas has a magical feeling to it, like Disney or Las Vegas. But so much better. Beautiful views of the lake and volcano paired with old German-style buildings and incredible roses on every block make you feel like your home. There's a small downtown, a lakefront running path, and fancy shops to prepare for your Patagonia adventures. Get coffee, grab a book and hang out on the beach. 

Sarah and I spent 8 days there! In 7 weeks of travel, more than a week in this tiny German town on Lago Llanquehue with a view of Volcan Osorno. Most adventurous thing we did? Biked more than 20 kilometers from Puerto Varas to Frutillar one day.

No trains, but cows were a hazard!

There's rafting, fishing, hiking and waterfalls to see. We didn't do any of that. But we LOVED this town. I already imagine living there one day. 

Best evening? With my friend Axel & his wife, Flo and their brand new beautiful baby, Nicanor. Axel and I go back to my days studying abroad here. He quickly became a friend after an adventure in Pucon and nights out dancing in Santiago. 8 years later we spent a beautiful evening together! 

Axel's front yard at sunset

Since Sarah and I are food-focused, we really loved our night at Axel's. Grilled octopus, homemade salmon-mango ceviche and meat. Dream dinner? I think so! 

We even got introduced to his good friend, Nick. Nick is Chilean-American, grew up in the states and now is in Puerto Varas running a cheese farm, M Queso. 

Land at M Queso

How do you spend a day at a cheese farm? Good question. Eat cheese empanadas, do a cheese sampling and play with days-old Burmese mountain puppies and their mom. And scare the cows, eat apples and blackberries on the roadside and sit on a log, chatting. Want to go? There's a bus that goes between Puerto Octay and Puerto Varas, but its a weird schedule. 

I already planned a house, a garden and a way of life in Puerto Varas. With a lake, a marathon and endless hills to cycle, I'll be a triathlete, gardener and explorer. 

You know how there are street dogs everywhere in Chile? Puerto Varas has the best dogs! They are clean, beautiful and friendly. Even the street dogs are German blue-eyed blondies in this lovely town.